Council stopped sending new patients to Mildenhall care home two days before inspection, report reveals

Bethany Whymark

Council bosses stopped sending new admissions to an under-fire care home in Mildenhall two days before an inspection by watchdogs, it has been revealed.

A report by Ian Patterson, head of contract management and market relationships in adult community services at Suffolk County Council, said the council suspended its admissions to Mildenhall Lodge on July 29, two days before an inspection by the Care Quality Commission.

The report said the suspension will not be lifted until there is ‘clear evidence’ that all measures taken by the home’s manager, Care UK, have satified the CQC and the home is ‘assessed as compliant’.

Of the home’s 60 bedrooms, the council is contracted to fill 33 places.

In its report, the CQC found Mildenhall Lodge to be underperforming in four out of five standards. Results from the home’s latest inspection on September 26 are expected to be published later this month.

Cabinet minister for health and adult care Alan Murray said the council had worked with Care UK to ensure improvements at the home were made ‘swiftly’. Care UK’s management team is continuing to arrange meetings with residents and their families.

The situation is due to be discussed at a meeting of the council’s health scrutiny committee on October 15.